Chinese tea: types, description and properties

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

In our article we would like to talk about Chinese tea. Inexperienced lovers of this drink are frightened, first of all, by its variety. Somehow it is not very clear where to start and what is better to choose. Therefore, I would like to clarify this issue a little. Let's understand what Chinese tea is. We will also discuss its types and main distinguishing characteristics, and in as much detail as possible. Of course, there are a lot of varieties of the drink, but we will try to understand the main positions of this issue without getting into the jungle.

Description and types of Chinese teas

There are many varieties of Chinese tea, as well as classifications of this drink. However, the easiest and most acceptable way to distinguish tea varieties is to look at them in terms of fermentation or color.

It is clear that Chinese tea is grown and harvested in China. In general, the topic: “Chinese tea: varieties, types” is extremely interesting, if you delve into the essence of the issue. Many varieties have a long history and tradition.

So, Chinese tea comes in these varieties:

1. Green.
2. White.
3. Yellow.
4. Oolong (light and dark varieties).
5. Red (we call it black, but the Chinese -red)
6. Black - pu-erh (a mixture of black and green look)
7. Floral.

Let's take a closer look at each type of drink, as they deserve closer attention. If you understand the nuances, believe me, you will no longer be confused by the hieroglyphs of the names. Chinese tea, types and properties will be clear to you, and you will easily make your choice in the store.

Green tea

There are many varieties of green tea. Imagine that eighteen provinces in China are engaged in the production of this species. The main feature of the production of the green variety is the processing technology in which the fermentation of the leaf occurs. Freshly picked tea is dried under the open sky. This process is called "green killing". The less time the sheet is dried, the closer its properties are to a white appearance. When the tea becomes soft and takes on a sluggish appearance, it is thermally processed. This allows you to keep the green color of the leaf and give the aroma of fresh herbs. At the same time, natural healing properties and active substances are preserved in tea. Heat treatment can be different, which gives a variety of flavors and shades of green varieties.

Chinese green tea types:

1. Fried. The most famous of this type: "Bio Lo Chun", "Long Jing".
2. Teas that are dried in special oven-like equipment. Types: "Taiping HouKui", "Huangshan Mao Feng".
3. Steamed. They aresteamed and then rolled. Teas of this type have a delicate aroma and floral-fruity notes, mild taste.

After heat treatment, the leaves are shaped. This is done in various ways, which is why some types of tea take on a unique form. Twisting tea leaves is not an easy process. It significantly increases the shelf life of tea leaves, which allows you to save and improve the properties of tea. A slightly twisted leaf has the mildest taste. In production, high-mountain varieties are twisted by hand. It takes about an hour to process one serving!

After rolling, the tea is dried. When finished, it should be a true green color, bright and saturated.

Green tea brewing

You need to know how to properly brew Chinese tea. Its types are different, which means that it is brewed differently. You should be aware of this in order to make the most of its beneficial properties. Green varieties are recommended to be filled with water, the temperature of which is in the range from sixty to eighty degrees. And by no means boiling water. The brewing process lasts one to three minutes. It should be noted that different types of green varieties can withstand from two to six brews. The finished drink has a color range from light green to golden, yellow-green.

Quality green Chinese tea (the types we mentioned earlier) has a bright aroma, dominated by fruit, flower and herbal shades. With prolonged or improper storage, the drink loses both its properties and aroma.

Don't forget thatit is green varieties that contain a lot of caffeine, a long brewing process can give bitterness. Properly brewed tea, unlike other varieties, has a record amount of vitamins, nutrients and trace elements. Therefore, it is rightly said that the types of Chinese tea and their properties are interconnected.

White tea

Considering the types of Chinese tea (product photos are given in the article), one cannot help but pay attention to the unique white variety of the drink. It is produced only in Fujian province. During the harvest for white tea, only the youngest buds and half-opened leaves are selected, which are still covered with white villi. They are called white eyelashes.

White tea has its own special processing. It just dries in the sun and dries. The leaves do not curl, remain in their natural form. For processing, it is important to maintain the correct temperature. Too high can kill the most delicate taste, and low can make the drink insipid. In general, the Chinese believe that since all processing processes are carried out manually, the mental attitude of the person who works with tea is important, first of all.

When finished, the white variety does not have twisted tea leaves, it is just a scattering of leaves. They should be grayish green or just green. Remember that an indispensable indicator of the quality of white tea is the white fluff on its surface.

Properties of white tea

What are the properties of white Chinese tea (types, varieties, description will be given by us below)?White varieties have a cooling effect on the human body, so connoisseurs use it in warm weather. The drink is very light, so when brewing, you can put a little more tea leaves than when using other varieties. However, too strong tea will not let you feel the fullness of taste and aroma. The most vivid and full of taste qualities are revealed with a weak brewing of the drink.

White tea when brewed is rose-yellow or pale yellow in color with a characteristic, very bright herbal aroma.

To properly prepare a drink, you need to fill it with water, the temperature of which is about seventy-five degrees. The tea has a specific concentration of essential oils, which give it a very refined aroma. Too hot water can spoil the amazing qualities of white tea.

Many people ask when buying: "How to choose Chinese tea?" Types, names, processing - everything is important here. And there are many nuances to be aware of.

White tea is rather poorly transported and stored, because of the very small fermentation, it is demanding on storage conditions. Bai Mu Dan tea ("Bai Mu Dan"), which means white peony, has gained immense popularity. It is produced in the Chinese province of Fujian. The leaves are harvested in early spring before they are fully open.

For brewing, you need to take two teaspoons and leave for two to four minutes. The drink should have an almond-yellow color, a pinkish tint is possible. White tea has a fresh bright aroma with herbal notes. At the beginning of our era in China, white teaconsidered the elixir of immortality. It must be said that the immortality of the emperor was meant, mere mortals could not afford such tea.

The Chinese say that white tea is the most useful, because it undergoes very little processing, which means that almost all vitamins and trace elements are preserved in it.

Scientists at the University of Oregon in the US have confirmed the anti-cancer properties of this drink. In addition, white tea has a beneficial effect on the heart and blood vessels, strengthens the immune system, and is even able to protect against bacteria and viruses.

Yellow tea

Yellow type of tea is produced only in the Chinese province of Huan. Little is known about yellow teas in European countries. For many centuries it was forbidden to export yellow Chinese tea from the country. The types of this drink were previously used only at the imperial court, and later it was drunk by high dignitaries at religious ceremonies. For violations that are associated with the tea trade, in those days they were punished very severely, despite the position of a person in society.

And only in the nineteenth century was it allowed to trade yellow tea, or rather, to exchange it in Russia for sable furs. Later, China again limited the number and range of exported varieties. In general, the Chinese are very sensitive to their national product. And the yellow type of tea was the first on the list of goods prohibited for export.

Features of yellow tea varieties

In other countries, it was not possible to produce the same type of drink. This is due to the fact that there is simply no necessaryraw materials. In addition, the production of yellow tea is a very labor intensive process. It requires only the use of manual labor. Under capitalism, entrepreneurs do not dare to engage in such production.

Yellow tea is a lightly fermented variety. By their properties and appearance, yellow teas can be confused with green ones. However, their production technology is completely different.

For yellow tea, leaves are taken from the bushes of a special kind. Only juicy strong kidneys are collected. Imagine that it takes 50,000 buds to produce just one kilogram! Yellow teas produce seventy-two hours. This is a special process: for some time the leaves are heated over hot coals, and then wrapped in parchment, which causes the yellowing process. All these procedures start the fermentation mechanism. While the tea leaves are languishing, all the white pile on their surface burns out. This is another distinguishing feature of this species. If for a white variety white villi are an indicator of good quality, then for yellow varieties they should not be at all.

Yellow tea is brewed in the same way as green tea. Infused no more than three minutes. But as for taste, the yellow variety cannot be confused with any other. It has a pleasant, soft, caressing taste with slight notes of astringency. The scent is really subtle and sophisticated. Connoisseurs say with confidence that this variety has no equal in terms of velvety and softness. An interesting fact is that, for example, red varieties have a strong aroma that can be easily recognized. And that's whatAs for the yellow species, its aroma is elusive. It is felt only during tea drinking. Then he quickly disappears and it seems that he did not exist at all. Such an interesting feature.

Yellow tea is very strong, and therefore has exciting properties. It has an amber yellow color that is similar to the hue of a green drink. But there is one feature by which varieties can be distinguished. Green tea tends to be reflected on the porcelain wall of the cup in a greenish color, but the yellow variety reflects in the form of a pink rim.

Turquoise tea - Oolong tea

Oolong means "black dragon", it is also called turquoise. Oolong (tea) got its name from the Ulunjian River, which flows through Fujian Province, the birthplace of this variety.

Oolongs are classified as semi-fermented varieties. This is a special kind, it is also considered tea perfection. This variety grows very high in the mountains. It is collected by people who know the tea business and pass on their knowledge and skills from generation to generation. Most often, Oolongs are produced from fairly mature leaves. After assembly, they are placed in the shade to wither. The process takes up to one hour. Then they are placed on bamboo trays and periodically stirred and kneaded. This process is repeated several times until the edges of the leaves turn red and turn brown. Then they are calcined under the sun for fifteen minutes. Oolongs are group twisted.

The brewing of this tea depends on the variety. If it is a slightly fermented oolong (Tie Guanyin variety), then it is brewed like green. In general, after cookingOolong has properties that make it not to be confused with other types. A quality drink has a strong floral smell. But the color scheme can vary from light green to golden and red. Oolong is used for the tea ceremony. Only under such conditions is it possible to fully disclose all the properties of the drink.

The variety of oolongs is amazing. There are mainland and island varieties.

Black tea

We call tea black, but in China it is red. This type goes through a long technological chain. Unlike other types, black tea is fully fermented. First, the leaves are dried, then twisted, and then placed in damp dark rooms for heating. There it ferments and acquires its dark color. Next, the leaves are dried in ovens with dry air flows.

Black tea is brewed almost with boiling water, and then infused for up to five minutes. The finished drink has a wide range of colors and a varied taste. The black variety has a more resinous smell.

The most famous Chinese black tea (types, names):

1. "Anhui Qihong".
2. "Dianhong".
3. "Qimen Khuncha".
4. "Isin Khuncha".
5. "Laosong Xiaozhong".

The Chinese do not drink red (black) tea themselves, but it is widely available on world markets.

Pu-erh

Chinese call black tea aged for years. The most famous is pu-erh. It got its name from the city where itoriginally sold. It has a special production technology and is highly fermented.

The leaves are first collected, then dried, twisted and pressed. Fermentation takes place already during storage. After a couple of years of storage, bitterness disappears and the drink can be consumed. However, to achieve a real taste and aroma, such tea should be stored for fifteen to twenty years. Naturally, no one waits that long.

Black tea is brewed with boiling water only.

Bound tea

There is also a very special Chinese tea in the form of a flower. It is also called connected. The fact is that it is manually tied from expensive green varieties. Sometimes a yellow, red and white variety is added.

However, the main feature of this tea is a very fragrant flower, which is added to the drink. Bound tea has the appearance of a dry bud tied with a thread. It is inside the bud that the flower is hiding. Such tea is made only by hand, and therefore something interesting and new is obtained every time. Therefore, there are many varieties of related tea.

Instead of afterword

In our article, we have figured out what Chinese tea can be. Its types (hieroglyphs on the boxes are not a reason to panic) are so numerous and varied that sometimes you don’t know which one to choose. We hope that after reading our article, you will still be able to decide and purchase the right product. And even better - try different options, because each has its own flavor and unique flavor!